With the capturing of Don Rocco and Margaritta, Deloria said to herself, "that is the end of pimping for the dynamite pair." at least, she is now assured of a happily ever after future with Alessandro.
She planned not only to take over the business conglomerate but also to occupy the palatial mansion at the Good Man's Avenue as the next Don and Lady Deloria. The revolutionary idea has been in the pipeline for way too long, and now it's beginning to see the light of day but things are beginning to shoot into disarray; a surprise court summons that might expose her the part she played in the saga which may bring a big set back for her career and possibly, end the rest of her life in solitary confinement in an underground dungeon.
While arguing before a competent judge in the high court of Rome, Mark Angelo, the prosecuting counsel, while cross-examining Deloria who was until her suspension, a commanding officer in the Italian sniper special forces told the court that while it's true she was on the payroll of Epifany Rocco DeAngelo as an aide-de-camp, she never hurt a life. She said the only moment she remembers ever coming close to taking human life was at an event she felt an aggressor overstepped his boundaries and was tempted to pull the trigger on the brother.
The state Attorney maintained that the defendant was responsible for the deaths at the Holy See's constituent, an accusation Deloria vehemently repelled as untrue and malicious through her lawyer. She, therefore, challenged the prosecuting counsel to tender before the court, evidence to support his allegation. The prosecuting Attorney backed his arguments with proof of a template in form of a contract agreement engraved therein with her signature agreeing to be his killer woman and another copy of a bloody and mutilated document supposed to be an agreement sealed by Don Rocco and Deloria, somewhere off the coast of Sicily to have his son annihilated but was however tempered with and now bearing the name and signature of the second in command and chaplain of the Swiss Guard, Lucius Labyrinth who was not even known to Don Rocco.
Upon close assessment by the presiding judge, Lucius Labyrinth was asked if the document bearing his signature was his.
"Without doubt," he said, "that is my signature on the sheet, your honour."
"Thank you for your sincerity, Chaplain Lucius Labyrinth."
The defence lawyer asked Lucius Labyrinth,
"you are a top influencer in the Swiss Guard, is that right?" "that's correct, my Lord," "I don't know whether it's my eyes that are deceiving me, but I cannot see any sign on this document mention the name nor carry the signature of my client but yours, Mr Lucius, and yet it's being presented as an exhibit against Longoria. Don't you think in one way or the other, in a misadventure move, you might have assented on that document due to the influence of alcohol?"
This was followed by a loud objection from the other camp.
"Overruled!" Said the Judge, "answer the question, Mr Lucius."
"No, your honour, I couldn't stoop so low as too polluting my soul with liquor in company of people of the world."
"Are you trying to tell me that you are a holly man while others are not?" Asked the lawyer tauntingly.
"Objection my Lord!"
"Rephrase your question counsel," said the Judge peering from above his binoculars strategically placed on his nostril "No more question for him, your honour,
At this juncture, the prosecuting counsel asks the court to present Mrs Margaritta Epifany DeAngelo as a witness and an accomplice to the crime. Margaritta stepped forward to the witness box accompanied closely by a Police officer then took an oath that she would say nothing contrary to the truth but the truth.
"Mrs Margaritta, can you narrate to the court what happened?"
"My husband and I agreed to end the life of our son on a mutual agreement for a reason best known to us." She said boldly. I even suggested to my husband that Deloria should handle the honoured job."There was intense hate that wells from among the audience in connection with the filthy spills from her mouth.
"Oder!" Solicited the Judge, "you will behave yourselves or be charged with court contempt. Please go ahead, Mrs Margaritta."
"Thank you, your honour. Like I was saying, my lord, I have the video footage of this transaction kept away at the safety of the detective in charge of this investigation and will be tendered before your honour if you so wishes."
"The court goes on a recess and resumes in the next two and a half hours," said the Judge.
With Deloria, life is always like a cartoon, where the impossible was made possible. She looks set to manifest the cunning talent buried deep in her DNA to turn the tables that appears to be going against her from the look of things. She bore herself into some top military brass who she previously turned down their romantic advances and gave them a second chance. That night, she causes the general officer commanding the special forces, Major Sebastien Constantine to call the detective harbouring the incriminating videos against her to be destroyed, or even eliminate him before the evidence finds its way to the courtroom
Sebastien Constantine obliged her request and immediately put the machinery to work to recover the tape. But then, luck ran out of her as the video clip has already been handed over to the defence counsel. Major Constantine gave her his words that he would do everything within his power to see that she did not only emerge victoriously but also discharged and acquitted of all charges against her.
Deloria's father, Mr Rafeal Massimo Gabriel could not immediately come to terms with the lurid secrets that were kept from him by his daughter and his so-called right-hand-man, and could neither understand what Matilda was doing in the hallowed chambers of the court, seductively dressed and curdles with Deloria like they were lovers, following Deloria to wherever she sets her foot when she was supposed to be in the house taking care of chores.
"Do well to call your daughter to order from the desecration she is doing. She should know we are the apple of the eye of the people and should therefore act responsibly." To show her husband that she understood his message, she left him without notice and walks across the large hall and tapped Deloria on her shoulders. "Sorry for startling you, my love," said Lady Stefflon Don, "I don't mean to do it." Deloria heaves a sigh of relief on getting to know that it was her mom.
"Mother, it's you?"
The next thing that will come out of her mother's mouth was, "what is she doing here?" Hideous shrinks formed on her face from intense squeezing. Deloria looked her mom in the eye and understood why she asked that question.
"Matilda is not a threat to how the society would view me because I befriend a domestic worker; she is my comforter In this difficult moment of my life, a kind of doctor of the heart," she said, attaching to it a serious emotional gesture by holding and smooching her mother's palm. "Besides, her share of the duty back home was adequately covered by the trio of Blanche, Isabella and Elena."
Lady Stefflon Don then nodded in satisfaction what Deloria told her and made no further attempts to question the integrity of Matilda flaunting herself around her daughter as if they were equals.
Get yourself prepared to explain to your father the gruesome part you've played in the soap opera going in in the courtroom. Lady Stefflon Don then steps away in that beautiful signature walk known by everyone to be hers.
Deloria was again called into the witness box at the commencement of the hearing after a brief recess, ready to be questioned by her Attorney.
"Miss Deloria, did you or did you not collect the staggering said sum as alleged by the Epifanys to carry out killings for them?"
Before Deloria answer the question, she tilted her head to her left and made fore eye with her father and her mother, Lady Stefflon whose facial expression was shrouded in bewilderment, then said to her counsel,
"I did not receive any amount of the said sum, be it in cash or kind from the Epifanys, my Lord."
"I want you to look critically at the video being played." Said her lawyer. He paused the cassette at a particular point and ask Deloria, "can you identify that face?"
"No, my lord," she said.
"Is that not you in that video clip, Deloria?"
"Certainly, that's not me, your honour. The person in that video is my look-alike."
"One more question for you: I understand that Alessandro Epifany, the alleged person you were supposed to assassinate is your fiancée and was due to be married to you in less than thirty days before the calamity struck," "that was correct, my lord."
"Would you have taken arms to hurt the one you were meant to spend the rest of your life with?" "No, my lord," she said, "I wouldn't have done that, even in my wildest dreams, my lord."
"That would be about okay for me, your honour; I rest my case."
"The court adjourns this hearing till the 26th day of the present month for further hearing, when more testimonies and exhibits would be admitted that would help dictate the course of justice."
Judge Mark Angel then struck his ceremonial mallet against a sound block of hardwood signifying the end of the court session.